


My Songs Know What You DId In The Dark

by elveriamoir



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-18
Packaged: 2020-01-11 04:44:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18423066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elveriamoir/pseuds/elveriamoir
Summary: I don't own any of the hobbit characters I am just taking them out of Tolkien's toy box and playing with them.A collection of short stories about the one and only Nori. The poor dear does not get enough loving in the fanfiction community.





	1. Chapter 1

When will my reflection show who I really am?

Nori slid to the floor, his back pressed against the wall of his cell. He stared unseeing through the bars. He had been caught again and this time the guards had not been gentle. He could feel the blood drying along his top lip and the tenderness around his eyes told him it was already bruised. He curled fingers into his dishevelled hair even as he folded in on himself.

It was weeks later when he finally escaped and re-appropriated his belongings. He didn't stop running until he reached the safe house he'd created in a small cave in the multitude of long unused tunnels of the Blue Mountains. He flinched at the sound of a rat scratching in the corner and in doing so caught his reflection in his only concession to vanity. He froze as he met the green eyes of the stranger staring him back. Long moments of silence filled the cave until he snapped and flung one of his daggers at the mirror. Once again he crumpled to the floor eyes falling shut in a silent prayer.

%

The next time he saw his reflection was while he was on a job in the south. The group of mercenaries he was travelling with had stopped just outside of the City of Corsairs. Curling his nose at their offers of aid, mainly because he didn't trust any of them not to try and slit his throat, he set about changing his appearance to better blend in. Wincing he spread the brackish gunk over his body and watched in fascination as the pale slightly freckled skin darkened into an almost mahogany colour. Allowing it to do its work he unbraided his hair and allowed himself one sigh at the auburn colour before rubbing it with a mixture of indigo and henna. The smells made him sneeze slightly, but they were soon covered as he wrapped the stolen clothes around his person and replaced with the foreign smells of incense.

In the confusion that followed their heist (and the murder he had not signed up for) he took a wrong turn trying to escape the palace guards. He stumbled through an elegantly gilded door and froze as he caught sight of a grubby, dark haired page staring back at him. It wasn't until he saw the pale tracks cut into the dark cheeks that he realised he was staring into a mirror. He closed his eyes, even as he heard the sound of booted feet running up the corridor he had just fled from. Soft hands on his face had him straining to reach his daggers, but as he stared into the sad brown eyes in front of him he sagged.

%

The young princess had helped him escape that time, but several years Nori didn't doubt that his look would run out one day. He tugged slightly at his borrowed finery, grumbling quietly as the highly embroidered collars itched his skin. The slight jingle of the filigree metal in his hair was driving him mad and the paints of his face were burning slightly. He affected a giggly air as a passing male paid him a fulsome compliment and twisted his lip once he was free. He hoped the lady Dis had no more jobs like this for him. This was no small form of torture. He bowed stiffly to an elderly couple, even as his eyes locked on the prize. He understood what he was expected to do and his skin crawled.

Her ladyship's plan had worked and Nori found himself being whirled around the vaulted ballroom by a dwarf who would normally be calling for his head. He swallowed back a laugh and forced another delicate bow as he was led from the dance floor. It was during this plan that Nori saw his reflection for the first time since Corsairs. His sharp eyes caught sight of his reflection as another partner claimed his attention. He froze, unable to tear his eyes away from the mirror. He looked hideous. Allowing himself a moment weakness Nori broke from his partner and swirled through the door that was reserved for ladies use only. Checking it was empty he braced his head against the cool marble behind him. His reflection still didn't show who he truly was.

%

He avoided reflective surfaces after that and so it was twenty years until he next caught his reflection. Screaming from outside the inn he was residing in had dragged him into the street daggers already in hand and an alcohol sweat on his skin. He had pulled one of the human males away from the now unmoving form of a young lass and was tearing into the other two when the rest of the patrons caught up. He let the humans deal with their kin and crouched by the young girl. His cry for aid was answered promptly and he was pushed from her side.

As he watched the two humans carry the wee thing back to her home Nori caught his reflection in the bronzed platter hanging above the bar of the tavern. He cursed whom ever had left the door open even as he was shaking his head at the sight staring back at him. His skin looked waxy, hair lank and unkempt and there were dark circles under his eyes. Revulsion flowed through him. He was starting to think that his reflection would never be true.

%

Many years later he answered the call of Thorin Oakenshield to reclaim the Kingdom of Erebor. He had swaggered up to the chosen burglar's home and blagged his ways through the beginnings of the night. With practiced eyes he had avoided catching sight of himself in the polished surfaces of the hobbit's home. He had laughed the loudest and sung merry ditties with his kin. Later when the dwarves had been shown to bedrooms and had fallen to sleep he searched out their host. There was something about the shorter male that had caught at his attention and he wanted to make sure he was alright.

It was in the starlight room, a head resting on his chest that Nori caught sight of his reflection. He swallowed hard when the image didn't make him recoil. He brushed a light hand over the hobbit's head of curls. Who would have thought it would take so long for his reflection to show who he was. Long fingers found the flower tucked behind his ear and he chuckled. Who would have thought that it took a hobbit to see all of him.


	2. Of a Friendship That Spans Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh Nori

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I don't own any of the hobbit characters I am just taking them out of Tolkien's toy box and playing with them.

Of a Friendship that Spans Time.

"Come back here Nori!" His older brother's voice echoed around the walls of the human town and little Nori giggled as he ducked behind a vender selling clothing. He bumped into the legs of someone quite sturdy and fell hard onto his behind. He stared up at the human male he had just ran into and felt his eyes fill with tears and his bottom lip tremble as the grazes on his hands began to sting.

"Shush little one." This human's voice was strangely deep and rolling and Nori sniffled a bit, his lower lip pouting slightly. "Oh I am sorry little one." Suddenly the human was sitting on the ground beside him and Nori was distracted enough from his tears enough to look at him. The human was fairly young despite his massive size. "Now little one what is your name?" The human glanced around him, "and where is your family?"

Nori just stared until he realised the human actually wanted an answer. "Nori," he answered shyly looking up at the human with big green eyes. "Dori over there. Amad poorly again, but Dori says I getting little gogaz." He stuck his thumb in his mouth as he watched the human wrinkle his brow.

"A little what?"

"Oh erm I no know what it means in man." Nori blushed and hung his head feeling stupid. Tears pricked his eyes again and he sniffled.

Strong arms were around his shoulders. "Shush little one, I meant no offense." He allowed himself to be picked up and curled into the human's chest feeling it rumble as he talked. "I am Girion."

Nori looked up and rubbed his eyes. He knew that name, he'd over heard the youngest Durin talking about it to one of his friends. "You…" he paused struggling for words. "You boss man's son?" The human nodded and Nori started to panic. "No you not sit on ground with me. You get dirty. You not get dirty Nori get wrong!"

He struggled away from the now frowning human. Strong hands caught his shoulders and he looked into endless brown eyes. "Relax little one. You did no wrong."

There was a smile on the human's face and Nori relaxed a little in spite of himself. "Not get wrong?" he whimpered.

"No little one you will not get wrong." A big thumb was wiping a tear from Nori's face. "I promise you little one no one will tell you off. I am full grown in my own right despite being my lord's son." The human stood and Nori tilted his head to look up at hum. He put up no fight when his hand was taken in the human's warm one. He focused back in to what the human was saying. "Now we should probably find your Dori he will be worried about you. Especially if your Amad is sick and you are about to receive a gocak."

The man sounded unsure at the end and Nori giggled. "No gocak, gogaz," he corrected.

"My apologies little one, I did not mean to mangle your language." The big hand holding his gave a reassuring squeeze. "Now what does your Dori look like?"

"Nori? Nori?" Dori's voice could be heard clearly over the crowded market place and Nori flinched at the worry in his big brother's tone. He hadn't meant to upset him. He started towards the voice dragging the human along behind him.

"Nori there you are! What have I told you about running…Oh! My Lord Girion I did not see you there. My apologies." Dori sounded worried so Nori tried to reassure him, but a look from his brother's expressive eyes stopped him. He let go of the human's hand and waved sadly at him.

Girion did not leave though. Nori watched in amazement as the tall male sketched a bow to Dori. "Peace my good dwarf. He is a good child and it pleased me to make sure he got back to his family safely."

Dori's grip on Nori's shoulders relaxed slightly and Nori gaped as he listened to his brother. "Then I thank you Master Girion." Nori yawned despite wanting to stay with his new friend. Dori swept him on to his hip. "I am sorry Master Girion but I must get this wee hellion to bed."

"That is fine Mister Dori. It was a pleasure to meet him."

Nori waved tiredly at his new friend as he curled into Dori's shoulder and stuck his thumb into his mouth. He fell asleep before they had left the gates of Dale.

%

He never saw Girion again, busy as he was, but he never forgot his first friend. He never left the mountain as his king grew more paranoid with each passing day.

%

Then the dragon came and Nori watched Dale burn with tears running down his face as he hung limply in his oldest brother's grasp. Ori hung around his legs and he broke down in sobs as he remembered telling the human about his gogaz. Dori released him when he stopped fighting and he crumpled to his knees pulling his baby brother into a bone crushing hug.

%

Nori the thief avoided the area around Lake-Town, the ruins of Dale and Erebor as if it was plague infected and his caution spread to other thieves and mercenaries. The area was left alone, it was the least he could do in memory of his friend.

%

He stepped in front of the company to stare down the human male with the bow. He wouldn't let his brothers and comrades fall to a stranger with an itchy arm.

%

"My ancestor fired black arrow after black arrow at the beast!"

Nori pushed to his feet and crowed into the youngish human's space. Brown eyes met his and he broke into tears.

%

Before they left for Erebor Nori slid up to the youngest boy of the human and pressed a dwarven made dagger into his hands.

%

He stood with his head bowed at the graveside of his king and princes. A heavy hand settled at his shoulder and he allowed his tears to fall.

%

He chose not to remain in the mountain they had fought so hard to take back. Instead he helped Bard rebuild Dale and stood proudly in the crowd as the human took the mantle that should have been his since birth.

%

Dori was buried the year Ori set out for Moria and Nori flung himself completely into helping the newest Lord of Dale.

%

Old and grey he wrapped his arms around the broad shoulders of the human as he knelt by his father's grave. He allowed the young lad to cling to him, the human's sobs shaking his now frail frame. Silent tears ran down his wrinkled face and into his wispy beard as he stood vigil at the grave of his third Lord of Dale.

%

He was buried in a place of honour by the fourth Lord of Dale. It was said his dwarven heart gave out from grief as the news of his youngest brother's death reached him. Girion, named after his ancestor, knelt at the edge of the grave. His young cheeks stained once more by tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Let me know what you think please. Pretty please. You see the little box down there? Leave me a comment. Thank you.
> 
> Translations;
> 
> Amad=mother.
> 
> Gozag=Blessing.


End file.
